When Kenzo designer Carol Lim and Humberto Leon combined the brand’s men’s and women’s show, nobody predicted that it was to clear a spot on the fashion calendar for a special presentation. That’s what happened with Kenzo La Collection Memento No 1, a unique outing that took editors and the brand’s loyal VIPs for a deep dive into the archives.

Kenzo Takada, the brand’s original designer, wasn’t just known for mashing up prints and patterns. He was also a champion of runway diversity. In fact, Takada gave Iman a spot in his 1983 campaign — and basically launched her career. But La Collection Memento No 1, which, we assume, means that there will be subsequent visits to the Kenzo archives, wasn’t just a simple rehashing of archival pieces. Instead, Leon and Lim took Kenzo’s hothouse prints and reinterpreted the shapes and silhouettes to offer up a covetable (and collectible) assortment for 2017.

Takada himself, who was in the audience, seemed to approve of the reworkings. Among the best were the peasant skirts and floor-length dresses, which showed off the patterns to the best effect and had a relaxed but dressed-up vibe beloved by Kenzo faves Jessica Alba, Solange, and Alexa Chung. Puffer jackets and vests, cargo jeans cut high on the leg, and crewneck sweaters (the brand’s bread and butter) will appease less outré brand loyalists, especially in the new colors and patterns.

There’s no news on whether or not La Collection Memento will become a regular on the Fashion Week calendar, but this collection managed to pull of the perfect balance of nostalgia and new — a complicated proposal for any designer(s) at the helm of a storied fashion house. And while Lim and Leon never had an issue getting Kenzo on the backs of influencers all over the world, this archival adventure proves that the designing duo has the chops for a lasting career.